Kuna originated as a railroad stop with coach transport to Boise. It is popularly believed, as cited by the Kuna Chamber of Commerce, that the translation of the name "Kuna" means "the end of the trail", but Charles S. Walgamott cites the origin of the name as a Shoshone Indian word meaning "green leaf, good to smoke" (see "Six Decades Back", a memoir of Walgamott's adventures in the late 1800s in southern Idaho).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), all of it land.
South of Kuna is located the Kuna Caves, an underground lava flow cave.
A small seasonal creek, now used as a canal for irrigation water, Indian Creek, runs through the city. One of the few small floatable waterways in the region, Indian Creek is a favorite tubing spot for local residents.
Veteran's Memorial Park
In the city center is ColonelBernard Fisher Veteran's Memorial Park, named after one of the city's most famous residents:
Bernard Francis Fisher; Bernie to his friends. In January 1967, Major, U.S. Air Force, 1st Air Commandos was awarded the Medal of Honor "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" (official citation). An accomplished pilot, he risked his life to save a fellow airman during Vietnam at A Shau. The Idaho Military Historical Society notes, "He could make his A-1E (plane) do the waltz, which is just what he did that day in far off Southeast Asia. There's no other way to explain how he danced it down that beat up airstrip, off into the wild blue."
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,382 people, 1,727 households, and 1,390 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,249.9 people per square mile (869.5/km²). There were 1,793 housing units at an average density of 749.5/sq mi (289.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.65% White, 0.26% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.85% of the population.
55.8% of the households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 12.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,617, and the median income for a family was $42,956. Males had a median income of $32,236 versus $22,473 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,891. About 10.1% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 33.0% of those age 65 or over.
